New Jacket is a state situated in both the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern areas of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the heavily urbanized Northeast megalopolis, it is surrounded to the northwest, north, and northeast by New York State; on its eastern, southeast, and southern by the Atlantic Ocean; on its west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania; and on its southwest by Delaware Bay and Delaware. At 7,354 square miles (19,050 km2), New Jersey is the fifth-smallest state in land area. According to a 2024 U. S. Census Bureau estimate, it is the 11th-most populous state, with over 9. 5 million locals, its highest possible approximated count ever before. The state funding is Trenton, and the state's most populous city is Newark. New Jacket is the only U. S. state in which every area is deemed metropolitan by the U. S. Demographics Bureau. It is one of the most largely inhabited U. S. state. New Jersey was very first lived in by Paleo-Indians as early as 13,000 BC. The Lenape were the dominant Native team when Europeans arrived in the early 17th century, and they were partitioned into dialectal groups such as the Munsee, in the north, and the Unami and the Unalachtigo, in other places. Dutch and Swedish colonists established the very first European settlements in the state, with the British later taking control of the area and developing the Province of New Jacket, named after the Channel Island of Jersey. The nest's fertile lands and loved one religious resistance drew a big and diverse populace. New Jacket was among the Thirteen Swarms that supported the American Transformation, organizing several essential fights and military commands in the American War of independence making the title, "Crossroads of the American Transformation." New Jersey stayed in the Union during the American Civil Battle and provided troops, sources, and army leaders on behalf of the Union Army. After the war, the state emerged as a major manufacturing facility and a leading destination for immigrants, helping drive the Industrial Transformation in the U. S. New Jersey was the site of many commercial, technical, and commercial technologies. Many prominent Americans connected with New Jacket have actually proven prominent nationally and globally, including in academia, campaigning for, organization, entertainment, government, armed forces, charitable leadership, and other areas. New Jacket's central place in the Northeast megalopolis helped sustain its rapid development and suburbanization in the second fifty percent of the 20th century. Because the beginning of the 21st century, the state's economy has become very diversified, with significant sectors, consisting of New Jersey's role as the globe's largest pharmaceutical market center—-- along with biotechnology, information technology, money, digital media, filmmaking, and tourism, and it has actually ended up being an Atlantic coast epicenter for logistics and circulation. New Jersey is a significant location for immigrants and is home to among the world's most modern populaces. Echoing historical trends, the state has significantly re-urbanized, with development in cities outmatching suburbs given that 2008. New Jacket is one of one of the most upscale, enlightened, varied, healthy, and highly established states in the U. S., ranking high among states in numerous lifestyle metrics. New Jacket had a mean household earnings of $99,781 since 2023, the second-highest of any kind of U. S. state behind Massachusetts.Almost one-tenth of all households in the state, or over 323,000, are millionaires, the highest possible depiction of millionaires among all states. New Jacket's public college system regularly rates at or amongst the top of all U. S. states. As of 2024, a quarter of the state population is international birthed, the second most after The golden state. In 2025, New Jacket was ranked as having the healthiest state populace generally. The state places near the top on both the American Person Development Index and the common Human being Development Index. Consequently, New Jersey is typically ranked as one of the best U. S. states, along with one of one of the most pricey states for citizens to live in. According to meteorology study by the U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New Jacket has actually been the fastest-warming state by ordinary air temperature over a 100-year duration beginning in the very early 20th century, which has been attributed to warming of the North Atlantic Ocean.